


Repairing the Hat

by Thorinsmut



Category: The Hobbit (2012), The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-20
Updated: 2013-01-20
Packaged: 2017-11-26 05:55:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/647301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thorinsmut/pseuds/Thorinsmut
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bilbo stitches up Bofur's hat. Written for the prompt:<br/>"I’d really like to see something where Bilbo fixes Bofur’s hat after it’s been torn or damaged in someway."<br/>Set in Rivendell, Fili and Kili show up to be fun and silly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Repairing the Hat

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted at http://thorinsmut.tumblr.com/post/40038724788/repairing-the-hat

The air in Rivendell was sparkling clear, and the entire Company was glad for a little rest… though the older Dwarves, and Thorin in particular, were likely to scowl at the Elves’ music.  
Bilbo had spent some time exploring the beautiful valley that day, but now as evening fell he was with the Dwarves as they laughed and ate around a small fire… he was carefully mending a split seam on his jacket. He fastened off and neatly snipped the threads, examining his work proudly… he was no tailor, but never let it be said that a Hobbit didn’t know how to take care of his own clothes!  
Someone, Kili it seemed, had stolen Bofur’s hat… and while the Miner wrestled with the dark haired young Prince, the hat was being tossed back and forth across the fire to keep it away from Fili, who was trying to recover it… until it landed quite suddenly in Bilbo’s lap. He was just about to throw it back to keep the game going when he noticed that one of the seams in the back had come undone. Fili was crowing victoriously, about to snatch it out of Bilbo’s hands when the Hobbit whirled on him, brandishing the hat.  
“You’ve torn it!” He accused hotly, and the blond haired Prince recoiled. Bilbo pointedly rethreaded his needle, and began to carefully sew up the torn seam, making sure to use the same needle holes the leather already had, and to match the stitch pattern. He reinforced the end of the seam so it wouldn’t tear out again… and then went around the hat, reinforcing the ends of the rest of the seams, some of which were looking a touch ragged, like they would tear out at the slightest provocation.  
With the hat out of the game, Fili and Kili had devised some other mischief to do, and Bofur was playing on his flute, watching Bilbo work very closely from across the fire.  
When he was satisfied with his work, Bilbo nodded to himself and tossed the hat across the fire to Bofur, who examined it carefully, then smiled his crinkly-eyed smile and shoved it back on over his messy braids. He put his hand on his heart and made a small bow before returning to playing a happy tune on his flute.  
Bilbo was feeling a bit proud of himself for his handiwork of the evening when Kili dove toward him, somehow ending up with his head in the startled Hobbit’s lap.  
“Mr. Bilbo.” He said, very seriously, looking up at Bilbo from his odd position, “I have torn the cuff of my jacket.”  
“And I’ve split a seam in my long johns.” Fili was standing behind the Hobbit, waving the article of clothing in question. Suddenly the entire Company was shouting about something or other that needed repair.  
“All right, All right!” Bilbo shouted to be heard over the din, they all quieted, watching him.  
“Kili…” Bilbo said, heaving the young Prince off of his lap… then he picked up the needle and thread the Elves had been kind enough to give him, and placed them reverently in the young Dwarf’s hands.  
“You are more than welcome to borrow my needle and thread…. then pass it along. You all seem to need it.” Bilbo said solemnly.  
Bofur was the first to start laughing as Kili’s hopeful face fell, realizing that no one was going to do his repairs for him, but within moments the entire Company had joined in.  
Kili sulked off with the needle and thread, and Bilbo leaned back, lighting his pipe and enjoying an evening smoke.  
It wasn’t long before Bofur had moved around the fire to sit closer to Bilbo.  
“You did well, putting the little beggar in his place.” Bofur grinned, and Bilbo found himself smiling back at the friendly Dwarf.  
“Oh, he’s not so bad.” Bilbo said, “He reminds me of some of my younger cousins on the Took side… I just hope I didn’t hurt his feelings.”  
“Nah,” Bofur opined, “He was just teasing you… seeing how far he could push you.”  
“Well…” Bilbo said, “I’m the Burglar on this mission, not the Tailor.”  
“But you did fix my hat.” Bofur reminded.  
“Well, that’s different.” Bilbo said.  
“How so?”  
And the Hobbit found he didn’t really have an answer to that.


End file.
